Apparent competition can compromise the safety of highly specific biocontrol agents

Carvalheiro, L.G., Buckley, Y. M., Ventim, R., Fowler, S.V. and Memmott, J. (2008) Apparent competition can compromise the safety of highly specific biocontrol agents. Ecology Letters, 11 7: 690-700.


Author Carvalheiro, L.G.
Buckley, Y. M.
Ventim, R.
Fowler, S.V.
Memmott, J.
Title Apparent competition can compromise the safety of highly specific biocontrol agents
Journal name Ecology Letters  (ERA 2012 Listed)    (ERA 2010 Rank A*)   Check publisher's open access policy
Publication date 2008-07
Sub-type Article
DOI 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2008.01184.x
Volume number 11
Issue number 7
ISSN 1461-023X
Start page 690
End page 700
Total pages 11
Place of publication United Kingdom
Publisher Wiley- Blackwell Publishing Ltd
Collection year 2009
Language eng
Subject C1
960405 Control of Pests, Diseases and Exotic Species at Regional or Larger Scales
060208 Terrestrial Ecology
0602 Ecology
Abstract Despite current concern about the safety of biological control of weeds, assessing the indirect impacts of introduced agents is not common practice. Using 17 replicate food webs, we demonstrate that the use of a highly host-plant specific weed biocontrol agent, recently introduced into Australia, is associated with declines of local insect communities. The agent shares natural enemies (predators and parasitoids) with seed herbivore species from native plants, so apparent competition is the most likely cause for these losses. Both species richness and abundance in insect communities (seed herbivores and their parasitoids) were negatively correlated with the abundance of the biocontrol agent. Local losses of up to 11 species (dipteran seed herbivores and parasitoids) took place as the biocontrol agent abundance increased. Ineffective biocontrol agents that remain highly abundant in the community are most likely to have persistent, indirect negative effects. Our findings suggest that more investment is required in pre-release studies on the effectiveness of biocontrol agents, as well as in post-release studies assessing indirect impacts, to avoid or minimize the release of potentially damaging species.
Q-Index Code C1
Q-Index Status Confirmed Code

 
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Created: Fri, 28 Nov 2008, 11:31:39 EST by Gail Walter on behalf of School of Biological Sciences